Multi-layered ceramic electronic component having step absorption layer

ABSTRACT

A multi-layered ceramic electronic component includes: a ceramic body including a dielectric layer and first and second internal electrodes disposed to oppose each other with the dielectric layer interposed therebetween; and first and second external electrodes disposed outside of the ceramic body and electrically connected to the first and second internal electrodes, respectively. The first internal electrode is exposed from a first surface of the ceramic body and the second internal electrode is exposed from a second surface opposing the first surface. The first internal electrode has a notch portion disposed inwardly of a portion facing the first surface and, and the second internal electrode has a notch portion disposed inwardly of a portion facing the second surface. Each of the notch portions and a margin portion of the ceramic body in a second direction and in a third direction are provided with a step absorption layer, respectively.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims benefit of priority to Korean Patent ApplicationNo. 10-2018-0120323 filed on Oct. 10, 2018 in the Korean IntellectualProperty Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a multi-layered ceramic electroniccomponent, and more particularly, to a multi-layered ceramic electroniccomponent having excellent reliability.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, as miniaturization, slimming, andmultifunctionalization of electronic products, multi-layered ceramiccapacitors have been required to be miniaturized, and mounting of themulti-layered ceramic capacitors is also highly integrated.

A multi-layered ceramic capacitor, an electronic component, may bemounted on the printed circuit boards various types of electronicproducts, including image display devices, such as a liquid crystaldisplay (LCD) and a plasma display panel (PDP), a computer, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, and the like, serving to chargeor discharge electricity.

The multi-layered ceramic capacitor may be used as a component ofvarious electronic devices due to advantages thereof, such asminiaturization, high capacitance, and ease of mounting.

Meanwhile, in recent years, as industry interest in electronic productshas increased, multi-layered ceramic capacitors have been required tohave high capacitance and high reliability characteristics to be used inautomobiles and infotainment systems.

As described above, in order to realize the multi-layered ceramiccapacitor satisfying the high capacitance and high reliabilitycharacteristics, a structure for increasing the number of laminatedlayers of the dielectric layer and the internal electrode layer isrequired in proportion thereto.

However, as compared with the increase in the number of laminated layersof the dielectric layer and the internal electrode layer, a problem ofinterlayer interface defects between the dielectric layer and theinternal electrode layer due to insufficient interlayer adhesion in theactive portion occurs.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to a multi-layered ceramic electroniccomponent, and more particularly, to a multi-layered ceramic electroniccomponent having excellent reliability.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a multi-layeredceramic electronic component includes: a ceramic body including adielectric layer and first and second internal electrodes disposed tooppose each other with the dielectric layer interposed therebetween, andhaving first and second surfaces opposing each other in a firstdirection, third and fourth surfaces connected to the first and secondsurfaces and opposing each other in a second direction, and fifth andsixth surfaces connected to the first to fourth surfaces and opposingeach other in a third direction; and first and second externalelectrodes disposed outside of the ceramic body to be electricallyconnected to the first and second internal electrodes, respectively. Thefirst internal electrode is exposed from the first surface of theceramic body and the second internal electrode is exposed from thesecond surface. The first internal electrode has a notch portiondisposed inwardly of a portion exposed facing the first surface, and thesecond internal electrode has a notch portion disposed inwardly of aportion facing the second surface. Each of the notch portions and amargin portion of the ceramic body in the second direction and the thirddirection are provided with a step absorption layer, respectively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of the presentdisclosure will be more clearly understood from the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a multi-layered ceramiccapacitor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a ceramic body according to anembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I′ of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4A is a perspective view illustrating a pattern shape of a secondinternal electrode disposed on a dielectric layer in a multi-layeredceramic capacitor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4B is a perspective view illustrating a shape in which a stepabsorption layer is disposed in a second internal electrodenon-formation region in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the ceramic body taken along lineII-II′ of FIG. 4B;

FIG. 6 is a schematic exploded perspective view illustrating a portionof the multi-layered ceramic electronic component shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of region B in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Thepresent disclosure may, however, be exemplified in many different formsand should not be construed as being limited to the specific embodimentsset forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that thisdisclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey thescope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. In the drawings,the shapes and dimensions of elements may be exaggerated for clarity.Further, in the drawings, elements having the same functions within thesame scope of the inventive concept will be designated by the samereference numerals.

Throughout the specification, when a component is referred to as“comprise” or “comprising,” it means that it may include othercomponents as well, rather than excluding other components, unlessspecifically stated otherwise.

In order to clearly illustrate the present disclosure in the drawings,portions not related to the description are omitted, and thicknesses areenlarged in order to clearly illustrate various layers and regions, andsimilar reference numerals are used for similar portions throughout thespecification.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments in the present disclosure will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a multi-layered ceramiccapacitor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a ceramic body according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I′ of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a multi-layered ceramic electronic component100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include aceramic body 110 including a dielectric layer 111 and a plurality offirst and second internal electrodes 121 and 122 disposed to oppose eachother with the dielectric layer 111 interposed therebetween, and havinga first surface S1 and a second surface S2 opposing each other in afirst direction, a third surface S3 and a fourth surface S4 connected tothe first surface S1 and the second surface S2, and opposing each otherin a second direction, and a fifth surface S5 and a sixth surface S6connected to the first to fourth surfaces S1 to S4, and opposing eachother in a third direction, and first and second external electrodes 131and 132 disposed outside of the ceramic body 110 and electricallyconnected to the plurality of first and second internal electrodes 121and 122, respectively. The ceramic body 110 may include an activeportion A in which capacitance is formed by including the plurality offirst and second internal electrodes 121 and 122 disposed to oppose eachother with the dielectric layer 111 interposed therebetween, and coverportions C1 and C2 formed on an upper portion and a lower portion of theactive portion A, respectively.

Hereinafter, a multi-layered ceramic electronic component according toan embodiment of the present disclosure will be described, but, inparticular, a multi-layered ceramic capacitor will be described, but thepresent disclosure is not limited thereto.

In the multi-layer ceramic capacitor according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure, a ‘longitudinal direction’ may be defined as an ‘L’direction, a ‘width direction’ may be defined as a ‘W’ direction, and a‘thickness direction’ may be defined as ‘T’ direction. Here, the‘thickness direction’ may be used in the same concept as a direction inwhich the dielectric layers are laminated, that is, ‘a laminationdirection’.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the ceramic body 110 is notparticularly limited in shape, but may have a hexahedron shape as shown.

The ceramic body 110 may have a first surface S1 and a second surface S2opposing each other in a first direction, a third surface S3 and afourth surface S4 connected to the first surface S1 and the secondsurface S2, and opposing each other in a second direction, and a fifthsurface S5 and a sixth surface S6 connected to the first to fourthsurfaces S1 to S4 and opposing each other in a third direction.

The first surface S1 and the second surface S2 may be defined assurfaces facing each other in the thickness direction of the ceramicbody 110, in the first direction, the third surface S3 and the fourthsurface S4 may be defined as surfaces facing each other in thelongitudinal direction, in the second direction, and the fifth surfaceS5 and the sixth surface S6 may be defined as surfaces facing each otherin the width direction, in the third direction.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a raw material forforming the dielectric layer 111 is not particularly limited as long assufficient electrostatic capacitance may be obtained therewith. Forexample, a barium titanate-based material, a lead compositeperovskite-based material, a strontium titanate-based material, or thelike, may be used.

As materials for forming the dielectric layer 111, a variety of ceramicadditives, organic solvents, plasticizers, binders, dispersants, and thelike, may be added to the powder, barium titanate (BaTiO3), and thelike, according to purposes of the present disclosure.

The ceramic body 110 may include an active portion A serving as aportion contributing to capacitor formation of the capacitor and anupper cover portion C1 and a lower cover portion C2, respectively formedin the upper and lower portions of the active portion A as upper andlower margin portions.

The active portion A may be formed by repeatedly laminating a pluralityof first and second internal electrodes 121 and 122 with a dielectriclayer 111 interposed therebetween.

The upper cover portion C1 and the lower cover portion C2 may have thesame material and configuration as the dielectric layer 111 except thatthe they do not have internal electrodes.

That is, the upper cover portion C1 and the lower cover portion C2 mayinclude a ceramic material, for example, a barium titanate(BaTiO₃)-based ceramic material.

The upper cover portion C1 and the lower cover portion C2 may be formedby laminating a single dielectric layer or two or more dielectric layerson the upper and lower surfaces of the active portion A in a verticaldirection, respectively, and the upper cover portion C1 and the lowercover portion C2 may basically prevent damage to the internal electrodesdue to physical or chemical stress.

The first internal electrode 121 may be exposed to one surface of theceramic body 110, and the second internal electrode 122 may be exposedto the other surface opposing the one surface of the ceramic body 110.

Specifically, one ends of a plurality of the first and second internalelectrodes 121 and 122 of the active portion A may be exposed to thethird surface S3 or the fourth surface S4.

The internal electrodes 121 and 122 may have a pair of a first internalelectrode 121 and a second internal electrode 122 having differentpolarities.

One end of the first internal electrode 121 may be exposed to the thirdsurface S3, and one end of the second internal electrode 122 may beexposed to the fourth surface S4.

The other end of the first internal electrode 121 may be formed at apredetermined distance from the fourth surface S4, and the other end ofthe second internal electrode 122 may be formed at a predetermineddistance from the third surface S3. More specific details will bedescribed later.

First and second external electrodes 131 and 132 may be formed on thethird surface S3 and the fourth surface S4 of the ceramic body 110 to beelectrically connected to the internal electrodes 121 and 122,respectively.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view illustrating a pattern shape of a secondinternal electrode disposed on a dielectric later in a multilayerceramic capacitor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 4A, the second internal electrode 122 may be providedwith a notch portion N disposed inwardly of a portion exposed to onesurface of the ceramic body 110.

Since one end of the second internal electrode 122 is exposed to thefourth surface S4, the notch portion N may be disposed inwardly ofportions of the second internal electrode 122 exposed to the fourthsurface S4 of the ceramic body 110. Similarly, although not shown inFIG. 4A, the first internal electrode 121 may be provided with a notchportion N disposed inwardly of a portion exposed to the other surface ofthe ceramic body 110. Since one end of the first internal electrode 121is exposed to the third surface S3, the notch portion N of the firstinternal electrode 121 may be disposed inwardly of portions of the firstinternal electrode 121 exposed to the third surface S3 of the ceramicbody 110.

Recently, as industry interest in electronic products has increase,multi-layered ceramic capacitors have been required to have highcapacitance and high reliability characteristics to be used inautomobiles or infotainment systems.

As described above, in order to realize a multi-layered ceramiccapacitor satisfying high capacitance and high reliabilitycharacteristics, a structure for increasing the number of laminatedlayers of the dielectric layer and the internal electrode layer isrequired in proportion thereto.

However, as compared with the increase in the number of laminated layersof the dielectric layer and the internal electrode layer, a problem ofinterlayer interface defects between the dielectric layer and theinternal electrode layer due to insufficient interlayer adhesion in theactive portion may occur.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the notch portionN may be disposed inwardly of portions of the first and second internalelectrodes 121 and 122 exposed to the third surface S3 and the fourthsurface S4 of the ceramic body 110, such that an exposed area of theinternal electrodes may be significantly reduced and the occurrence ofinterface defects may be prevented.

Specifically, it is possible to significantly reduce the exposed area ofthe internal electrodes, increase a bonding ratio of the same kind ofdielectric as described later, such that delamination and crackingfailures may be prevented and interface bonding force may be increased.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a width W2 of thenotch portion N may be 20% to 80% compared to the width W1 of the firstinternal electrode 121 and the second internal electrode 122.

The width W2 of the notch portion N may be adjusted to satisfy 20% to80% compared to the width W1 of the first internal electrode 121 and thesecond internal electrode 122, such that delamination and crackingfailures may be prevented even when the number of laminated layers ofthe dielectric layer and the internal electrode is increased bysignificantly reducing the exposed area of the internal electrode.

When the width W2 of the notch portion N is less than 20% of the widthW1 of the first internal electrode 121 and the second internal electrode122, since the width W2 of the notch portion N is small and the area ofthe exposed internal electrode is increased, delamination and crackingfailures may be a problem.

On the other hand, when the width W2 of the notch portion N exceeds 80%compared to the width W1 of the first internal electrode 121 and thesecond internal electrode 122, the area of the exposed internalelectrode may be excessively small, such that a problem such as anelectrical connection with external electrodes and a problem such asdeterioration of electrostatic capacitance due thereto may occur.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view illustrating a shape in which a stepabsorption layer is disposed in a second internal electrode non-formedregion in FIG. 4A.

Referring to FIG. 4B, a step absorption layer 112 may be disposed in thenotch portion N and in a margin portion of the ceramic body 110 in thesecond direction and third direction.

The margin portion of the ceramic body 110 in the second direction maybe a margin portion of the ceramic body 110 in a longitudinal direction,and the margin portion of the ceramic body 110 in the third directionmay be may be a margin portion of the ceramic body 110 in a widthdirection.

The margin portion of the ceramic body 110 in the second direction andthe third direction may be the margin portion of the active portion A.

That is, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the region in whichthe step absorption layer 112 is disposed may be a margin portion of theceramic body 110 in the second direction, a longitudinal direction, anda margin portion of the ceramic body 110 in the third direction, a widthdirection, and the notch portion N region.

In addition, the region in which the step absorption layer 112 isdisposed is the margin portion of the ceramic body 110 in the seconddirection and the third direction in the active portion A, and thus, maynot be disposed in the cover portions C1 and C2.

However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the stepabsorption layer 112 may be disposed in the margin portion of theceramic body 110 in the second direction and the third direction in thecover portions C1 and C2.

As described above, according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure, since the step absorption layer 112 is disposed in the notchportion N and the margin portion of the ceramic body 110 in the seconddirection and the third direction, a bonding ratio of the same kind ofdielectric may be increased, and the interface bonding force may beimproved.

A method of disposing the step absorption layer 112 in the marginportion of the active portion A in the longitudinal direction and in thewidth direction is not particularly limited, and the method may beperformed by applying a conductive metal paste to a ceramic green sheetin a manufacturing process step and then by applying a ceramic materialfor step absorption in a margin portion, a region in which theconductive metal paste is not applied in a longitudinal direction and awidth direction.

Alternately, it may be performed by inserting at least one or moreseparate dielectric layers in which the step absorption layer 112 isdisposed in the margin portion of the active portion A in thelongitudinal direction and in the width direction. In this case, aplurality of first ceramic green sheets coated with a conductive metalpaste to be the first and second internal electrodes 121 and 122 aftersintering are laminated, and a ceramic member is formed in both endportions thereon, and a second ceramic green sheet on which the stepabsorption layer is formed is laminated.

As the number of ceramic green sheets to be laminated recentlyincreases, there is a problem that reliability of the product isaffected by a laminated process and a pressing process of the ceramicgreen sheet.

That is, the ceramic green sheet is composed of an internal electrodeforming portion and a margin portion, an internal electrodenon-formation portion. When a predetermined pressure is applied afterthe ceramic green sheet is laminated and pressed together, a problem inwhich a step between the internal electrode forming portion and themargin portion, the internal electrode non-formation portion, isworsened, and a withstand voltage characteristic is deteriorated mayoccur, and a problem in which of delamination and cracking occurrencedue to a limit of a bonding force between the dielectric layer and theinternal electrode, which are different material, may occur.

However, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a stepabsorption layer 112 may be disposed in the margin portion of the activeportion A in the longitudinal direction and the width direction and thenotch portion N, thereby realizing high capacitance multilayer ceramicelectronic component in which a problem of step is solved and thewithstand voltage characteristic is improved.

In addition, it is possible to improve interface bonding force byincreasing the same kind of dielectric bonding ratio.

A thickness of the step absorption layer 112 is not particularlylimited, and may be, for example, greater than 10 to 20 times athickness of the dielectric layer 111.

In addition, the thickness of the step absorption layer 112 may be equalto the thicknesses of the first and second internal electrodes 121 and122 formed on the dielectric layer 111, but is not limited thereto, andmay have a difference in the internal electrode due to the processcharacteristics.

Meanwhile, the step absorption layer 112 may be formed of the same orthe same kind of material as a material of the dielectric layer 111, andis not particularly limited. A boundary between the step absorptionlayer 112 and the dielectric layer 111 may exist. The step absorptionlayer 112 and the dielectric layer 111 may have the same, or different,material compositions.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the ceramic body taken along lineII-II′ of FIG. 4B. For convenience, the number of layers shown in FIG. 5is more than that shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 5, it can be seen that the step absorption layer 112is disposed in the margin portion of the active portion A in the widthdirection and in the notch portion N.

As a result, it is possible to improve the interfacial bonding force byincreasing the same kind of dielectric bonding ratio, thereby improvingthe reliability of the multi-layered ceramic capacitor.

FIG. 6 is a schematic exploded perspective view illustrating a portionof the multi-layered ceramic electronic component illustrated in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 6, a first internal electrode 121 may be disposed onone dielectric layer 111, the first internal electrode 121 may beprovide with a notch portion N disposed inwardly of a portion exposed tothe third surface S3 of the ceramic body 110, and a step absorptionlayer 112 may be disposed in the margin portion in which the firstinternal electrode 121 is not disposed on one electric layer 111 in thelongitudinal direction and in the width direction and the notch portionN.

In addition, a second internal electrode 122 may be disposed on theother dielectric layer 111, the second internal electrode 122 may beprovided with a notch portion N disposed inwardly of a portion exposedto the fourth surface S4 of the ceramic body 110, and a step absorptionlayer 112 may be disposed in the margin portion in which the secondinternal electrode 122 is not disposed on one dielectric layer 111 inthe longitudinal direction and in the width direction and the notchportion N.

One dielectric layer 111 on which the first internal electrode 121 and astep absorption layer 112 are disposed and the other dielectric layer111 on which the second internal electrode 122 and a step absorptionlayer 112 are disposed may be alternately laminated, thereby forming theceramic body 110 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

A material forming the first and second internal electrodes 121 and 122is not limited to any particular material. For example, a material ofthe first and second internal electrodes 121 and 122 may be formed usinga conductive paste including one or more elements among silver (Ag),lead (Pb), platinum (Pt), nickel (Ni), and copper (Cu).

The multi-layered ceramic capacitor according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure may include a first external electrode 131electrically connected to the first internal electrode 121 and a secondexternal electrode 132 electrically connected to the second internalelectrode 122.

The first and second external electrodes 131 and 132 may be electricallyconnected to the first and second internal electrodes 121 and 122 toform capacitance, and the second external electrode 132 may be connectedto a potential different from a potential of the first externalelectrode 131.

The first and second external electrodes 131 and 132 may be disposed onthe third surface S3 and the fourth surface S4 of the ceramic body 110in the longitudinal direction, the second direction, respectively, andmay extend to and be disposed on the first surface S1 and the secondsurface S2 of the ceramic body in the thickness direction, the firstdirection.

The external electrodes 131 and 132 may be disposed outside of theceramic body 110, and may include electrode layers 131 a and 132 aelectrically connected to the internal electrodes 121 and 122 andconductive resin layers 131 b and 132 b disposed on the electrode layers131 a and 132 a, respectively.

The electrode layers 131 a and 132 a may include a conductive metal anda glass.

The conductive metal used in the electrode layers 131 a and 132 a is notparticularly limited as long as it is a material that can beelectrically connected to the internal electrodes for formingcapacitance, for example, may be one or more selected from a groupconsisting of copper (Cu), silver (Ag), nickel (Ni), and alloys thereof.

The electrode layers 131 a and 132 a may be formed by applying aconductive paste prepared by adding glass frit to the conductive metalpowder and then firing the paste.

The conductive resin layers 131 b and 132 b may be formed on theelectrode layers 131 a and 132 a, and may be formed to completely coverthe electrode layers 131 a and 132 a.

A base resin contained in the conductive resin layers 131 b and 132 b isnot particularly limited as long as it has bondability and impactabsorbing ability and may be mixed with the conductive metal powder toform a paste, for example, the base resin may include, for example, anepoxy resin.

The conductive metal contained in the conductive resin layers 131 b and132 b is not particularly limited as long as it is a material that canbe electrically connected to the electrode layers 131 a and 132 a, forexample, may include one or more selected from a group consisting ofcopper (Cu), silver (Ag), nickel (Ni), and alloys thereof.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of region B of FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 7, in the multi-layered ceramic electronic componentaccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the thickness tdof the dielectric layer 111 and the thickness to of the internalelectrodes 121 and 122 may satisfy td>2×te.

That is, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the thickness td ofthe dielectric layer 111 may be greater than twice the thickness te ofthe internal electrodes 121 and 122.

In general, high voltage electric field electronic components may have areliability problem due to a decrease in a breakdown voltage under ahigh voltage environment.

A multi-layered ceramic capacitor according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure may be formed by making the thickness td of thedielectric layer 111 greater than twice the thickness te of the internalelectrodes 121 and 122 in order to prevent the breakdown voltage frombeing lowered under the high voltage environment. The breakdown voltagecharacteristic may be improved by increasing the thickness of thedielectric layer, a distance between the internal electrodes.

When the thickness td of the dielectric layer 111 is twice or less thanthe thickness te of the internal electrodes 121 and 122, the breakdownvoltage may be lowered, since the thickness of the dielectric layer, adistance between the internal electrodes, is reduced.

The thickness te of the internal electrode may be less than 1 μm, andthe thickness td of the dielectric layer may be less than 2.8 μm, butthe present disclosure is not limited thereto.

Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing a multi-layered ceramicelectronic component according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure will be described, but the present disclosure is not limitedthereto.

The method for manufacturing a multi-layered ceramic electroniccomponent according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is asfollows. A slurry formed including a powder such as barium titanate(BaTiO₃), or the like, may be applied to a carrier film and then driedto prepare a plurality of ceramic green sheets, thereby forming adielectric layer.

The slurry is a slurry for a ceramic green sheet for forming adielectric layer of the active portion of the active portion and adielectric layer constituting the cover portion.

The ceramic green sheet may be formed in a form of sheet having athickness of several μms using slurry made from mixture of ceramicpowder, binder, and solvent, and by performing a doctor blade method tocoat the slurry.

Next, a conductive metal paste may be applied on the ceramic green sheetto form an internal electrode pattern.

The internal electrode pattern may be formed by a screen printing methodor a gravure printing method.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a notch portionmay be formed inside of one end portion of the internal electrodepattern.

The notch portion may be formed inside of a portion of the end portionof the internal electrode pattern exposed to the outside, whereby anarea of the internal electrode exposed in an embodiment of the presentdisclosure may be significantly reduced.

Next, a ceramic member may be formed in the margin portion of theceramic green sheet in the longitudinal direction and in the widthdirection and the notch portion to form a step absorption portion.

A method for forming the ceramic member in the margin portion of theceramic green sheet in the longitudinal direction and in the widthdirection and the notch portion is not particularly limited, and may beperformed by, for example, a printing method.

Next, a green sheet having an internal electrode pattern and a stepabsorption layer disposed thereon was laminated to from a ceramic body110.

Next, an electrode layer including one or more conductive metal andglass selected from a group consisting of copper (Cu), silver (Ag),nickel (Ni), and alloys thereof may be formed outside the ceramic body.

The glass is not particularly limited, and a material having the samecomposition as glass used for an external electrode of a generalmulti-layered ceramic capacitor may be used.

The electrode layer may be formed on the upper and lower surfaces andthe end portion of the ceramic body to be electrically connected to thefirst and second internal electrodes, respectively.

The electrode layer may include 5% by volume or more of glass comparedto the conductive metal.

Next, a conductive resin composition may be applied to the electrodelayers 131 a and 132 a and then cured to form conductive resin layers131 b and 132 b.

The conductive resin layers 131 b and 132 b may include one or moreconductive metal and a base resin selected from a group consisting ofcopper (Cu), silver (Ag), nickel (Ni), and alloys thereof, and the baseresin may be an epoxy resin.

In addition, a plating layer (not shown) may be further formed in upperportions of the conductive resin layers 131 b and 132 b, and a nickel(Ni) plating layer and a tin (Sn) plating layer may be sequentiallyformed and the plating layers may be formed on the conductive resinlayers.

As set forth above, according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure, it is possible to significantly reduce an exposed area of aninternal electrode and simultaneously increase the same kind ofdielectric bonding ratio, thereby improving delamination and crackingfailure and increasing the interface bonding force.

While exemplary embodiments have been shown and described above, it willbe apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications andvariations could be made without departing from the scope of the presentinvention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A multi-layered ceramic electronic component,comprising: a ceramic body including a dielectric layer and first andsecond internal electrodes stacked in a first direction with thedielectric layer interposed therebetween, and having first and secondsurfaces opposing each other in the first direction, third and fourthsurfaces connected to the first and second surfaces and opposing eachother in a second direction, and fifth and sixth surfaces connected tothe first to fourth surfaces and opposing each other in a thirddirection; and first and second external electrodes disposed outside ofthe ceramic body and including first and second electrode layers,respectively, the first and second electrode layers connected to thefirst and second internal electrodes, respectively, wherein the firstinternal electrode is exposed from the third surface of the ceramic bodyand the second internal electrode is exposed from the fourth surface,wherein the first internal electrode has a single notch portion disposedinwardly of a portion facing the third surface, and the second internalelectrode has a single notch portion disposed inwardly of a portionfacing the fourth surface, wherein each of the notch portions and amargin portion of the ceramic body in the second direction and the thirddirection are provided with a step absorption layer, respectively,wherein each of the first and second internal electrodes is completelyspaced apart from the fifth and sixth surfaces, wherein the notchportion of the first internal electrode or the notch portion of thesecond internal electrode has a width greater than a width of the marginportion, and wherein the notch portion of the first internal electrodeand the notch portion of the second internal electrode have a roundedshape in a second direction-third direction plane.
 2. The multi-layeredceramic electronic component of claim 1, wherein the ceramic bodycomprises an active portion including the first and second internalelectrodes disposed to oppose each other with the dielectric layerinterposed therebetween so as to form capacitance and a cover portionformed on an upper portion and a lower portion of the active portion,and the margin portion of the ceramic body in the second direction andin the third direction is a margin portion of the active portion.
 3. Themulti-layered ceramic electronic component of claim 2, wherein themargin portion of the ceramic body in the second direction is a marginportion of the ceramic body in a longitudinal direction, and the marginportion of the ceramic body in the third direction is a margin portionof the ceramic body in a width direction.
 4. The multi-layered ceramicelectronic component of claim 1, wherein a width of the notch portion inthe third direction is 20% to 80% compared to a width of each of thefirst internal electrode and the second internal electrode in the thirddirection.
 5. The multi-layered ceramic electronic component of claim 1,wherein a thickness (te) of one of the first and second internalelectrodes is less than 1 μm.
 6. The multi-layered ceramic electroniccomponent of claim 1, wherein a thickness (td) of the dielectric layeris less than 2.8 μm.
 7. The multi-layered ceramic electronic componentof claim 1, wherein a thickness (td) of the dielectric layer and athickness (te) of one of the first and second internal electrodessatisfy td>2×te.
 8. The multi-layered ceramic electronic component ofclaim 1, wherein the step absorption layer is made of a ceramicmaterial.
 9. The multi-layered ceramic electronic component of claim 1,wherein one of the first and second electrode layers includes 5% byvolume or more of glass compared to a conductive metal contained in theone of the first and second electrode layers.
 10. A multi-layeredceramic electronic component, comprising: a ceramic body including adielectric layer and first and second internal electrodes stacked in afirst direction with the dielectric layer interposed therebetween, andhaving first and second surfaces opposing each other in the firstdirection, third and fourth surfaces connected to the first and secondsurfaces and opposing each other in a second direction, and fifth andsixth surfaces connected to the first to fourth surfaces and opposingeach other in a third direction; and first and second externalelectrodes disposed outside of the ceramic body and including first andsecond electrode layers, respectively, the first and second electrodelayers connected to the first and second internal electrodes,respectively, wherein the first internal electrode is exposed from thethird surface of the ceramic body and the second internal electrode isexposed from the fourth surface, wherein the first internal electrodehas a single notch portion disposed inwardly of a portion facing thethird surface, and the second internal electrode has a single notchportion disposed inwardly of a portion facing the fourth surface,wherein each of the notch portions and a margin portion of the ceramicbody in the second direction and the third direction are provided with astep absorption layer, respectively, wherein the notch portion of thefirst internal electrode or the notch portion of the second internalelectrode has a width greater than a width of the margin portion, andwherein the notch portion of the first internal electrode and the notchportion of the second internal electrode have a round shape in a seconddirection-third direction plane.
 11. The multi-layered ceramicelectronic component of claim 10, wherein the ceramic body comprises anactive portion including the first and second internal electrodesdisposed to oppose each other with the dielectric layer interposedtherebetween so as to form capacitance and a cover portion formed on anupper portion and a lower portion of the active portion, and the marginportion of the ceramic body in the second direction and in the thirddirection is a margin portion of the active portion.
 12. Themulti-layered ceramic electronic component of claim 11, wherein themargin portion of the ceramic body in the second direction is a marginportion of the ceramic body in a longitudinal direction, and the marginportion of the ceramic body in the third direction is a margin portionof the ceramic body in a width direction.
 13. The multi-layered ceramicelectronic component of claim 10, wherein a width of the notch portionin the third direction is 20% to 80% compared to a width of each of thefirst internal electrode and the second internal electrode in the thirddirection.
 14. The multi-layered ceramic electronic component of claim10, wherein a thickness (te) of one of the first and second internalelectrodes is less than 1 μm.
 15. The multi-layered ceramic electroniccomponent of claim 10, wherein a thickness (td) of the dielectric layeris less than 2.8 μm.
 16. The multi-layered ceramic electronic componentof claim 10, wherein a thickness (td) of the dielectric layer and athickness (te) of one of the first and second internal electrodessatisfy td>2×te.
 17. The multi-layered ceramic electronic component ofclaim 10, wherein the step absorption layer is made of a ceramicmaterial.
 18. The multi-layered ceramic electronic component of claim10, wherein one of the first and second electrode layers includes 5% byvolume or more of glass compared to a conductive metal contained in theone of the first and second electrode layers.